Spring biased coupling member on a disk gang for driving engagement with a folding wing gang coupling member

ABSTRACT

A coupling for interconnecting a generally stationary main disk gang of a disk harrow and a wing gang movable to a position axially aligned with and establishing an extension of the main disk gang, the coupling including a first coupling member having radial drive lugs and supported by one of the cooperating pair of disk gangs for axial sliding, a second coupling member supported in axial relation on the other of the disk gangs and having recesses formed to receive the drive lugs in driving relation, and spring means operative with the first coupling member to allow the disk gangs to be brought into generally axial alignment and effect driving coupling therebetween without radial alignment of the driving lugs and receiving recesses therefor.

United States Patent Womble et a].

[54] SPRING BIASED COUPLING MEMBER ON A DISK GANG FOR DRIVING ENGAGEMENTWITH A FOLDING WING GANG COUPLING MEMBER [72] Inventors: George E.Womble; Rex Cleveland,

both of Kewanee, ll].

[73] Assignee: Kevvanee Machinery 8; Conveyor Co., Kewanee, Ill.

22 Filed: Sept. 11, 1910 211 Appl. No.: 71,299

[52] US. Cl ..l72l568, 172/743, 192/67 R [51] Int. C1.....A0lb 21/08,AOlb 65/02, F16d 11/00 [58] Field of Search... 172/311, 456, 568, 598,599; 192/67 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,114,633 4/1938Hedges 192/67 R 2,917,019 12/1959 Krueger 192/67 R 2,973,738 3/1961Ladewig ..l92/67 R 3,102,598 7/1963 Mighell ..l72/S68 3,529,675 9/1970Wheeler ..172/568 1451 Nov. 14, 1972 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS423,757 3/1950 Italy ..192/67 R Primary Examiner-Robert E. PulfreyAssistant Examiner-C. W. Hanor Attorney-Johnson, Dienner, Emrich,Verbeck 84 Wagner 1 1 ABSTRACT A coupling for interconnecting agenerally stationary main disk gang of a disk harrow and a wing gangmovable to a position axially aligned with and establishing an extensionof the main disk gang, the coupling including a first coupling memberhaving radial drive lugs and supported by one of the cooperating pair ofdisk gangs for axial sliding, a second coupling member supported inaxial relation on the other of the disk gangs and having recesses formedto receive the drive lugs in driving relation, and spring meansoperative with the first coupling member to allow the disk gangs to bebrought into generally axial alignment and effect driving couplingtherebetween without radial alignment of the driving lugs and receivingrecesses therefor.

4 Clains, 7 Drawing figures PATENTEDuuvMwn 3 7 02 639 saw 1 or a 11031041 0 50 nuenibrsx- Gear 65 Womble,

PATENTEU 14 3,702.6 39

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PATENTEDnuv \4 1912 3 7 02.639

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SPRING BIASED COUPLING NIEMBER ON A DISK GANG FOR DRIVING ENGAGENIENTWITH A FOLDING WING GANG COUPLING NIEMBER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to couplings, and more particularly to acoupling for use between main and wing disk gangs of a disk harrow.

It is known in the manufacture of farm implements employing rotaryground working tools such as in disk harrows to provide a releasablecoupling between the independent rotary gangs to allow selective drivingcoupling therebetween. It is known to pivotally support the wing diskgangs for movement between positions wherein they generally overlie thestationary main disk gangs to positions axially aligned with theassociated main disk gangs, a coupling being efi'ected between theadjacent aligned ends of each pair of main and wing disk gangs toestablish a driving rotational engagement therebetween. Heretofore, thecouplings provided between such stationary and movable disk gangs haverequired the disk gangs to be brought into a specific rotationalorientation relative to each other in order to effect couplingtherebetween after the wing disk gangs are moved into axial alignmentwith the associated main disk gangs. For example, U. S. Pat. No.3,102,598 discloses a wing gang coupling for use between main and winggang sections of a disk harrow, which coupling requires that one of thecoupling members be rotated to a specific position relative to the othercoupling member to allow interengagement therebetween. The presentinvention provides a coupling for use between main and wing disk gangswhich does not require particular rotational orientation of the couplingmembers before the wing gang can be brought to a position axiallyaligned with the main disk gang.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the primary objects of the presentinvention is to provide a coupling adapted to effect driving relationbetween a main and associated wing disk gang of a disk harrow withoutrequiring the wing gang to be brought into specific rotational and axialalignment with the main wing gang.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a drive couplingfor use between an associated pair of main and wing disk gangs whereinthe coupling includes a first coupling member slidably supported on oneof the disk gangs for rotation therewith, the first coupling memberhaving drive lugs thereon cooperable with a second coupling membersupported on the other of the disk gangs, the coupling further includingresilient means urging the first coupling member into the secondcoupling member to effect a driving relation therebetween as the winggang is brought toward a position axially aligned with the main diskgang.

In carrying out the objects and advantages of the present invention, weprovide a first coupling member having a coupler base secured adjacentthe convex surface of the outermost disk of a rearward main disk gang,or the convex surface of the innermost disk of a forward wing disk gang,in axial alignment therewith. The coupler base has a square drive shaftwhich supports a first truncated conical coupling member having radiallyoutwardly projecting tapered drive lugs spaced thereabout. The firstcoupling member is limited in its outward sliding movement on theassociated square support shaft and a compression spring is disposedbetween the coupler base and the first coupling member to urge thecoupling member axially outwardly. A second coupling member is supportedin axial relation on the associated wing or main disk gang, as on theconcave side of the next adjacent disk opposing the first couplingmember, and includes a conical recess having radially recessed slotstherein adapted to receive the drive lugs on the first coupling member.As the wing gang is moved from an inoperative position generallyoverlying the associated main disk gang to an operative positionapproaching alignment with the main disk gang, the second couplingmember receives the truncated conical portion of the first couplingmember therein. If the drive lugs are not in rotational alignment withthe corresponding recesses in the second coupling member, the firstcoupling member will be urged into the coupler base. Subsequentrotational movement of the main disk gang, with the first couplingmember being biased axially outwardly, causes the drive lugs to engagethe associated recesses within the second coupling member whereby toeffect driving rotation therewith. In this manner, driving rotationalmovement of the wing disk gang can be effected without the wing diskgang being in axial alignment with the main disk gang, and without theneed for separate locking means associated with the drive coupling.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention, together withthe organization and manner of operation thereof, may best be understoodby reference to the following description of a preferred embodiment ofthe invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawingsin which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout theseveral views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a partial elevational view of a main disk gang operativelycoupled to a pivotally supported wing disk gang through coupling meansin accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the drive couplingbetween the main and wing disk gangs of FIG. 1, taken substantiallyalong the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the main and wing disk gangs of FIG. 1,the wing disk gang being illustrated in its inoperative positiongenerally overlying the main disk gang;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the coupling member associated with the maindisk gang, taken substantially along the lines 4-4 of FIG. 3 and lookingin the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the coupling member associated with the wingdisk gang taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3 and looking in thedirection of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the drive couplingin accordance with the present invention, being taken along line 6-6 ofFIG. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of the automatic latch arrangementfor securing the main and wing disk gangs in operative aligned relation.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, andin particular to FIGS. 1 3, we have illustrated our invention, by way ofillustration, in conjunction with a disk harrow having at least one maingenerally stationary disk gang, indicated generally at reference numeral10, and an associated wing disk gang, indicated generally at 12. Theillustrated main disk gang 10 and wing disk gang 12 comprise rearwardgang sections of a conventional disk harrow having a generallyrectangular main frame, a portion of which is indicated at 14, adaptedto be pulled behind a tractor or the like. Conventionally, two main diskgangs 10 are secured to the rearward portion of the frame 14 throughrigid elongated beams 16 received through and secured to theundersurface of the frame 14 by U-shaped mounting brackets, one of whichis indicated at 18. The rigid beam 16 of the rearward main disk gang 10may be angularly disposed relative to the longitudinal axis of the diskharrow frame 14 and is adapted to support a plurality of parallelconcave disk blades 20 for rotation about the axis of an elongated gangbolt 22 of square cross section through standards or hangers 24, anexample of which is described and illustrated in copending application,Ser. No. 7,614, filed Feb. 2, 1970, and assigned to the assignee of thepresent invention.

The disk blades 20 of the rear pair of main disk gangs have theirconcave surfaces directly inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of theharrow frame 14. Conventionally, the harrow frame 14 also supports apair of forward main disk gangs similar to 10 but having the concavesurfaces of the associated disk blades directed outwardly from thelongitudinal axis of the harrow frame. The disk blades 20 of the maindisk gang 10 are maintained in longitudinally spaced relation along theassociated gang bolt 22 through spools 26 in a known manner. The supportstandards 24 associated with each of the stationary main disk gangs,such as 10, have support brackets 27 mounted thereon which serve tosupport an elongated channel 28. The channels 28 support a plurality ofdownwardly inclined scraper bars 30 corresponding to and disposedrearwardly of each of the spaced concave disks 20, each of the scraperbars 30 having a scraper 32 secured to the lower end thereof in a mannerto engage the concave surface of the associated disk 20.

It is known in the construction of disk harrows having stationary diskgangs 10 secured to the main frame 14, to also provide auxiliary winggangs, such as indicated at 12. The wing gangs 12 are each operativelyassociated with a main disk gang l0 and are movable from inoperativepositions within the overall side-toside dimension of the main diskgangs to operative positions wherein each wing gang forms an axiallyaligned extension to its associated main disk gang thereby extending theoverall working width of the harrow. To this end, we provide a supportbracket 34 on the outermost end of the elongated support beam 16 of eachmain disk gang 10, the support brackets being affixed to theirassociated rigid beams by welding or other suitable means. Noting FIG.3, each support bracket 34 comprises a generally vertically disposedU-shaped channel having parallel spaced side flanges 36 which support apivot shaft 38 therebetween with the longitudinal axis of the pivotshaft disposed in horizontal relation transverse to the longitudinalaxis of the associated rigid beam 16. Each of the wing gangs 12 includesa rigid elongated beam 40 which supports a plurality of spaced concavedisk blades 20 on an elongated wing gang bolt 42 (FIG. 2) of squarecross section through support standards or hangers 24 in similar fashionto the main disk gangs 10. The concave disks 20 of the wing disk gangsections 12 are similarly maintained in spaced relation along the gangbolt 42 through spools 26. Similarly, the wing disk gangs 12 may beprovided with scrapers 32 supported on scraper bars 30 which are securedto support channels 28.

The rigid beam 40 of each of the wing disk gangs 12 is pivotally mountedon the pivot shaft 38 of the corresponding main disk gang 10 through aU-shaped support bracket 44 having parallel spaced side flanges 46adapted to be received over the spaced side flanges 36 of the associatedsupport bracket 34, the side flanges 44 having aligned aperturestherethrough to receive the outer opposed ends of the support shaft 38.in this manner, each wing disk gang 12 is movable between a positionoverlying the associated main disk gang 10, as shown in FIG. 3, to aposition wherein the rigid beam 40 of the wing gang is axially alignedwith the rigid beam 16 of the main disk gang 10. The configuration ofthe support standards 24 in relation to the associated rigid beams 16and 40 are such that the wing gang bolt 42 of the wing disk gang 12 isidentically related to its associated rigid beam 40 as the main gangbolt 22 of the main disk gang 10 is related to its rigid elongated beam16. In this fashion, with the wing disk gang 12 in its operativeposition, the associated disks 20 and gang bolt 42 will be axiallyaligned with the axis of the gang bolt 22 of the main disk gang 10. itwill be understood that the disks 20 of the forward wing gangs are supported such that their concave surfaces are directed outwardly when theforward wing gangs are lowered, while the disks 20 of the rearward winggangs are sup ported such that their concave surfaces are directedinwardly when in lowered positions.

The present invention is primarily directed to coupling means, indicatedgenerally at $0, operatively associated with the main and wing diskgangs 10 and 12, respectively, for effecting driving rotational movementof the disks 20 of the wing disk gang 12 upon rotational movement of thedisks 20 of the main disk gang 10 during movement of the disk harrowwith the disks of the main disk gang engaging the ground in a knownmanner. For purposes of illustration, the coupling means 50 is describedin conjunction with the rear main disk gang l0 and associated wing diskgang 12. When used between a forward main disk gang and associated wingdisk gang, the mounting of the coupling means portions is reversed, aswill become more apparent hereinbelow. The coupling means 50 includes afirst coupling portion, indicated generally at 52, supported by therearward main disk gang 10 in axial alignment with the axis of the disks20 thereof, and a second coupling portion, indicated generally at 54,supported by the wing disk gang 12 in axial alignment with the axis ofthe wing disks 20. The first coupling portion 52 includes a coupler base56 comprising a generally square planar plate secured to a flange organg bumper 58 on the disk gang bolt 22 adjacent the convex surface ofthe outer disk 20 of the disk gang 10. Noting FIGS. 4 and 6, the couplerbase plate 56 is secured to the flange 58 through four retaining bolts60 having heads 62 received within T-shaped slots in the flange 58, theopposite ends of the retaining bolts 60 having lock washers 64 and nuts66 thereon.

The coupler base plate 56 has a square drive spindle 68 secured innormal relation to the plane of the base plate through welding or othersuitable means. The drive spindle 68 extends outwardly in axialalignment with the gang bolt 22 and slidably receives a wing drivermember 70, termed the male wing drive member, thereon for axial movementalong the drive spindle 68. To this end, the wing male drive member 70has a square axial bore 71 slidable over the drive spindle 68, and has arear portion having an outer cylindrical surface adapted to be receivedwithin an annular walled flange 72 suitably secured to the outer surfaceof the coupler base plate 56. The outermost end of the male wing drivemember 70 has a generally truncated conical surface 74 disposed about aslightly tapered axial recess or bore 76 formed in axial alignment withthe square bore 71. A transverse through-bore 78 is provided in the maledrive member 70 generally intermediate its axial length to allowinsertion of a cylindrical keeper pin 80 through an appropriatetransverse bore in a square drive spindle 68. The keeper pin 80 has adiameter less than the diameter of bore 78 and has a length less thanthe smallest diameter of the tapered recess 76 in the male drive member70. The keeper pin 80 serves to limit outward movement of the male wingdrive member 70 on the drive spindle 68 while allowing rearward movementthereof. A coil compression spring 82 is disposed about the square drivespindle 68 and has one end abutting the outer surface of the couplerbase 56 and its opposite end received within an annular groove 84 formedin the rearward surface portion of the male drive member 70 so as tourge the drive member axially outwardly from the coupler base. NotingFIG. 2, taken in conjunction with FIGS. 3 and 4, the male wing drivemember 70 has four equidistant circumferentially spaced drive lugs 86which project generally radially outwardly from the truncated conicalsurface 74 and are tapered downwardly toward the outermost end of themale wing drive member, as considered in FIG. 2.

The second coupling portion 54 of the coupling means 50 includes afemale wing drive member of socket 88 having a generally planar flange90 lying in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the socket 88.Noting FlGS. 5 and 6, the flange portion 90 is of generally squareconfiguration having corner holes 92 therethrough to receive attachingbolts 94 which have heads 96 received within T-shaped slots 98 in aflange or gang bumper 100 secured to the concave surface of theinnermost disk 20 of the wing disk gang 12. Lock nuts 102 are secured onthe ends of the bolts 94 opposite the heads 96 to retain the driven wingsocket 88 on the gang flange 100 for conjoint movement therewith.

The female wing drive socket 88 has a generally cylindrical bore 104forming axially therethrough, the

diameter of the axial bore 104 being sufficient to accommodate a nut 106secured on the innermost end of the gang bolt 42 of the wing disk gang12. The end of the axial bore 104 opposite flange terminates in agenerally conical recess 108 of a size and configuration generallysimilar to the truncated conical surface 74 of the male wing drivemember 70 such that during coupling cooperation, the truncated conicalsurface 74 of the male wing drive member 70 will nest within the conicalsurface 108 of the female wing drive socket 88. The conical recess 108has four tapered driving recesses 110 formed in equidistantlycircumferentially spaced relation within the conical recess 108, thedriving recesses 110 being of substantially identical configuration tothe drive lugs 86 so as to receive the raised drive lugs during couplingas will be more fully described hereinbelow.

Noting FIG. 1, taken in conjunction with FIG. 3, the disk harrowemploying the stationary main disk gang 10 and wing disk gang 12includes counterbalance means, indicated generally at 114, forcounterbalancing the wing disk gang 12 as it is moved from its upperinoperative position, as shown in FIG. 3, to its lowered operativeposition in axial alignment with the main disk gang 10. Thecounterbalance means 114 includes a pair of coil tension springs 116having their inner ends connected to a depending bracket 118 affixed tothe side surface of the support beam 16. The opposite ends of thetension springs 116 are connected to a connector plate 120 throughsuitable eye bolts. A flexible cable 122 has one end secured to theconnecting plate 120 and is reeved over a pair of rotatably supportedpulleys 124 and 126 with the other end of the cable being secured to aconnecting bolt 128 fixed on a bracket 130. The bracket 130 is securedto one of the side flanges 46 of the support bracket 44 as by weldingfor rotational movement with the support bracket. It can be seen thatwhen the wing disk gang 12 is moved from its uppermost position as shownin FIG. 3 to its lowered operative position as shown in FIG. 1, thetension springs 116 will be elongated effecting a counterbalance forceon the wing disk gang. The springs 116 are selected so that thecounterbalance force offsets the force moment created by the weight ofthe wing gang as it is rotated downwardly about its pivot axis 38.

The disk harrow employing the main disk gang 10 and wing disk gang 12also includes automatic latch means which serves to limit the extent ofdownward rotational movement of the wing disk gang and prevent excessiveaxial loading between the coupling members 52 and S4. The automaticlatch means further serves to maintain the wing disk gang in itsdownward operative position until it is desired to move it to its upwardinoperative position. Noting FIGS. 3 and 7, the automatic latch means isindicated generally at 132 and includes a latch member 134 pivotallymounted on a pivot shaft 136 which is secured to the support bracket 44on the wing disk gang 12 for conjoint movement therewith. The latchmember 134 is urged in a counter-clockwise direction about the pivotshaft 136, as considered in FIG. 7, by a coil tension spring 138 havingone end secured to the latch member as by connecting screw 140 and theopposite end secured to a bracket 142 affixed to the associated sideflange 36 of the support bracket 34. The latch member 134 has a ramp orguide edge surface 144 angularly inclined relative to the longitudinalaxis of the latch member, which guide surface is caused to engage anoutwardly extending lock pin 146 secured in normal relation to the sideflange 36 as the wing disk gang is moved to its lowered position aboutthe pivot axis 38. The latch member 134 includes an arcuately shapedrecess 148 adapted to receive the lock pin [46 therein when the wingdisk gang is moved to its lowered operative position. The relativeposition of the recess 148 in the latch member 134 and the position ofthe stop pin 146 on the side flange 36 are such that the stop pin willbe received within the recess 148 and prevent the wing gang beam 40 fromraising without first rotating latch member 134 to disengage stop pin146. The tension spring 138 is sufficient to cause the lock pin 146 tobe maintained within recess I48 until it is desired to move the wingdisk gang upwardly to its inoperative position by manually rotating thelatch member 134 about its pivot axis 136 to release lock pin 146 fromthe recess 148. The automatic latch means 132, per se, forms no part ofthe present invention and is described in greater detail in thecopending application of George E. Womble and Lorrin H. Schwartz, Ser.No. 44,793, filed June 9, 1970, and assigned to the assignee of thepresent invention.

Noting FIGS. 1 and 3, a threaded wing stop bolt 150 is received througha suitable opening in the web portion 152 of support bracket 44 and islongitudinally adjustable through lock nuts disposed on the stop bolt onopposite sides of the web plate 152, one of the lock nuts being shown at154. The inner end of stop bolt 150 is adjusted to engage the webportion 156 of support bracket 34 when the wing gang 12 is lowered to adesired position, and thus serves as a means to selectively vary thelowered position of the wing gang extension relative to the main deskgang 10 as described more fully in the copending application, Ser. No.44,793.

Having thus described a preferred embodiment of the coupling 50 used inconjunction with the main disk gang l0 and movable wing disk gang 12 toeffect driving rotational movement between the respective disks thereof,its operation will be briefly reviewed. When it is desired to utilizethe wing disk gang 12 as a disk extension of the main disk gang 10, thewing disk gang is pivoted downwardly from its upper inoperative positionas shown in FIG. 1 against the counterbalance force established by thecounterbalance means 114. Moving the wing disk gang 12 downwardly causesthe drive lugs 86 on the male wing drive member 70 to be received withinthe conical recess 108 in the femzde wing drive socket member 88. If thedrive lugs 86 on the male wing drive member 70 are not exactlyrotationally aligned with the radial recesses 110 in the female wingdrive socket 88, the male wing drive means 70 will be urged axiallyrearwardly against the force of compression spring 82. The configurationof the male wing drive member 70 is such that it may be so movedrearwardly within the annular wall flange 72 of the coupler base 56 adistance sufficient to allow the wing disk gang 12 to be moved to aposition wherein the disks thereof are substantially axially alignedwith the disks 20 of the main disk gang 10. Subsequent rotationalmovement of the disks of either the main disk gang l0 or the wing diskgang 12, as during a normal disking operation, will cause the drive lugs86 on the male wing drive member to be received within the driverecesses in the female wing drive socket 88 due to the spring force 82to effect a driving coupling relation between the main and wing diskgangs 10 and 12.

It can be seen that spring loading of the male wing drive member 70allows the main and wing disk gangs to be brought into alignedcooperating relation even when the male drive member 70 and female drivesocket 88 are not in exact radial or rotational alignment. Thecompresion spring 82 further serves to snap the drive lugs 86 into thecorresponding recesses 110 in the female drive socket 88 when rotationaloperation of either of the disk gangs is subsequently effected. Thecoupling members 52 and 54 are adapted to efiect driving rotationalmovement therebetween even though the main and wing disk gangs are notin exact axial alignment due to the drive lugs 86 being at leastpartially received within the driving recesses 110 as the wing disk gangis pivoted downwardly. As noted above, the locking recess 148 of theautomatic latch means 132 is caused to receive the lock pin 146 thereinin locking relation when the wing disk gang 12 is moved to substantiallyaxial alignment with the main disk gang 10, the stop bolt 150 beingadjusted to engage the web portion 156 of bracket 34 and absorb theaxial load force resulting from the wing disk gang, thereby preventingsuch axial load force from acting on the coupling 50. The latch means132 serves to prevent undesirable upward movement of the wing disk gang12 due to the counterbalance means 114 when the wing disk gang is in itslowered operative position.

As noted, the coupling means 50 was described in conjunction with arearward main disk gang l0 and associated wing disk gang which havetheir disks 20 supported such that the concave surfaces of the disks aredirected inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of the disk harrow. Whenused in conjunction with a forward main disk gang and associated wingdisk gang having the concave surfaces of their discs directed outwardlyfrom the longitudinal axis of the disk harrow, the coupling portions 52and 54 are reversed such that the male wing drive member 70 is supportedon the wing disk gang and the female wing drive socket 88 is supportedon the main disk gang. Thus, the male wing drive member 70 is supportedadjacent the convex side of the innermost wing disk, while the femalewing drive socket is supported adjacent the concave surface of the outeropposing disk of the main disk gang.

While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has beenillustrated and described, it will be understood to those skilled in theart that changes and modifications may be made therein without departingfrom the invention in its broader aspects.

We claim:

1. in an agricultural implement having a main frame, at least one maindisk gang supported by said frame and having a plurality of axiallyaligned rotatable disks for engagement with the ground, at least onewing disk gang having a plurality of axially aligned rotatable diskssupported by said frame for movement between a first position whereinthe wing disks do not engage the ground and a second position whereinthe axis of the wing gang disks is generally axially aligned with theaxis of the main gang disks so that the wing disks engage the ground,and coupling means operatively associated with said main and wing diskgangs for effecting driving rotational movement therebetween, saidcoupling means comprising first and second coupling members each ofwhich is secured in axial relation to one of the main and wing diskgangs, one of said coupling members including a conical truncatedportion slidably supported on its associated disk wing along the axis ofthe associated rotatable disk and having a plurality of radial drivelugs, and the other of said coupling members having a truncated conicalrecess confomting to configuration of said conical truncated portionwith a plurality of radial recesses conforming to the shape and spacingof said radial drive lugs, said first and second coupling members beingcooperable upon said wing disk being moved to said second position toallow said conical truncated portion of said one member to seat intosaid conforming recesses of said other member to provide positivedriving rotational coupling therebetween, said one coupling memberfurther includes a coupler base having a base plate and a square driveshaft which is perpendicular to said base plate and which is axiallyaligned with and rotatable with the associated rotatable disks, saidconical truncated portion being axially slidable on said square driveshaft and conjointly rotatable therewith, and a compression springdisposed about said square drive shaft and between said base plate andsaid conical truncated portion to allow sliding movement of saidtruncated portion when said first and second coupling members arebrought into engaging relation with said drive lugs in rotationalnon-alignment with said radial recesses in said other of said couplingmembers.

2. The combination of claim 1 including keeper means limiting outwardmovement of said conical truncated portion of said one of said couplingmembers.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said coupler base has a recesstherein shaped to receive said conical truncated portion when moved in adirection opposed to the biasing force of said biasing means.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said radial drive lugs on saidconical truncated portion are equally spaced drive lugs and said radialrecesses in said other coupling member are four equally spaced radialrecesses.

i l l I! l

1. In an agricultural implement having a main frame, at least one maindisk gang supported by said frame and having a plurality of axiallyaligned rotatable disks for engagement with the ground, at least onewing disk gang having a plurality of axially aligned rotatable diskssupported by said frame for movement between a first position whereinthe wIng disks do not engage the ground and a second position whereinthe axis of the wing gang disks is generally axially aligned with theaxis of the main gang disks so that the wing disks engage the ground,and coupling means operatively associated with said main and wing diskgangs for effecting driving rotational movement therebetween, saidcoupling means comprising first and second coupling members each ofwhich is secured in axial relation to one of the main and wing diskgangs, one of said coupling members including a conical truncatedportion slidably supported on its associated disk wing along the axis ofthe associated rotatable disk and having a plurality of radial drivelugs, and the other of said coupling members having a truncated conicalrecess conforming to configuration of said conical truncated portionwith a plurality of radial recesses conforming to the shape and spacingof said radial drive lugs, said first and second coupling members beingcooperable upon said wing disk being moved to said second position toallow said conical truncated portion of said one member to seat intosaid conforming recesses of said other member to provide positivedriving rotational coupling therebetween, said one coupling memberfurther includes a coupler base having a base plate and a square driveshaft which is perpendicular to said base plate and which is axiallyaligned with and rotatable with the associated rotatable disks, saidconical truncated portion being axially slidable on said square driveshaft and conjointly rotatable therewith, and a compression springdisposed about said square drive shaft and between said base plate andsaid conical truncated portion to allow sliding movement of saidtruncated portion when said first and second coupling members arebrought into engaging relation with said drive lugs in rotationalnon-alignment with said radial recesses in said other of said couplingmembers.
 2. The combination of claim 1 including keeper means limitingoutward movement of said conical truncated portion of said one of saidcoupling members.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said couplerbase has a recess therein shaped to receive said conical truncatedportion when moved in a direction opposed to the biasing force of saidbiasing means.
 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said radial drivelugs on said conical truncated portion are equally spaced drive lugs andsaid radial recesses in said other coupling member are four equallyspaced radial recesses.